


the blue crayon

by MayWilder



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Communication, F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Gen, Healthy Relationships, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Protective Pepper Potts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:47:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23476423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayWilder/pseuds/MayWilder
Summary: May wants to express how she feels, but doesn't know how. Luckily, Pepper is a little better at communication than she is.
Relationships: May Parker (Spider-Man) & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, May Parker (Spider-Man)/Pepper Potts
Comments: 17
Kudos: 50





	the blue crayon

**Author's Note:**

> The second half of this fic should really be credited to Madi (TakenByEmrys) who will gladly murder people for yelling at me. Thus, this is dedicated to her. 
> 
> Love you baby 😘
> 
> (Rated Teen for language)

Communication. An important key to every relationship. This is something May _knows_. After all, she is forty years old. She’s been in multiple relationships—healthy and unhealthy—and had a successful marriage. She knows what it is to communicate her wants and desires in a loving and gentle way. 

And yet. 

“Talk to her,” Rhodey says at their weekly dinner. Somehow, among everyone May met at Peter’s birthday party, James Rhodes was the man who she struck up a friendship with. They’d spent the entire evening talking, getting drunk, and lamenting that they were desperately in love with the two most amazing people in the entire world. 

“Have you talked to Tony yet?” she presses, shoving a meatball into her mouth unceremoniously. “Ah leash ah assf ‘ep ow!”

“Now how in the hell am I supposed to understand that?” 

“Fuh you.”

“You love me? Oh, I know.”

May rolls her eyes affectionately before swallowing her meatball. “My point, _asshole_ , was that at least I’m in a relationship. You have yet to talk to Tony about how you feel.”

“You all act like Tony is the only one who fears rejection,” Rhodey tells her. He’s finished his own lunch, and has taken to stirring the ice in his drink. “And we aren’t going to talk about me today. We’re going to talk about you. What’s got you not able to talk to your girlfriend about your needs? And what are your needs, anyway?”

“Time,” she answers with a sad shrug. “When we first started dating, Pep made time out of work to go on dates, but...I don’t know. There’s always been a lot with the company, and I know I work too much as well, but I feel like we really need to be making time for one another. What’s the point of being together if we’re never together?”

“That’s completely reasonable, May,” Rhodey soothes her. “So let’s talk about what’s holding you back.”

“I don’t know,” May grumbles. 

“Bullshit.”

“You’re not nice to me.”

“Incorrect. I am trying to help you but you need to be honest.”

“Even if its stupid?”

Rhodey fixes her with a look. 

“Right,” May huffs. She leans back in her seat and watches people pass. She loves New York because there’s a quiet in all the chaos. It feels like she and Rhodey are in their own little bubble, sitting outside a restaurant and letting the world move around her. There's a weird security in sinking into the background of it. Like she can say whatever she wants into the universe and it's _safe_. 

“Pepper is amazing,” May eventually confesses. “Like, absolutely fucking incredible. She’s so kind, and she treats me like a princess, and the way she treats Peter is so far above and beyond what is required and he loves her and I…”

Understanding dawns Rhodey’s features. He reaches across the table and takes both of her hands, rubbing calloused thumbs over her knuckles. “You’re scared to say the wrong thing, because you don’t want to lose her. Because she’s so wonderful you think you’re going to fuck up, and having some of her is better than having none.”

“Yeah,” May whispers. “But I’m...I’m lonely, Rhodey. If I see her, it’s for ten minutes. If I talk to her on the phone, it's purely informational about Peter’s work or about a benefit I might want to go to, or to tell me how busy she is.”

“And do you think you’ve done the same sometimes?” Rhodey asks. “You said that you know you work a lot too, do you think you’ve been neglectful?”

“Maybe?” she sighs. “I just feel like our schedules don’t match up and neither of us are putting in the effort.”

“So put in the effort.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It _is_ simple. Make her a priority. She knows Peter is the top, and work is right under that because it's how you take care of Peter, but after that? Dishes and vacuuming and laundry can wait. Dinner with Peter can be done with Pepper. Lunch breaks exist, and you can talk while you fold laundry or have her go to the grocery store with you. There are ways to make time for each other.”

“So just fuckin' do it?”

“So just fuckin' do it.”

May squeezes her friend’s hands. “What would I do without you, Rhodes?”

“Evidently? Not a whole lot.”

**)-(**

May doesn’t want to have a serious conversation with Pepper over the phone, so she decides that she’ll look for the time to use her actions to convey what she wants. 

Except she...doesn’t do it. 

She’s going to. 

She just chickens out.

But she will. 

At some point. 

**)-(**

“Some point” ends up coming sooner than she thought, and in a very odd way. 

It starts when May is at work, tending to a patient. Dr. Fields tries to tell her to make her patient walk after a major surgery, insisting it's what he needs and refusing to understand that if his blood pressure spikes again he will have a goddamn stroke. May refuses the "doctor's orders" because _she is a good nurse._ She tries to explain kindly at first why she will not do it, but this arrogant, pig-headed--

“Nurse Parker!” Dr. Fields barks. “You _will not_ tell me, the doctor, what the patient can and cannot do. When you have a degree-”

“I have worked here for twenty years,” May snaps. “Even if I’m not a doctor, I know my role is to fight for my patients physical and mental well-being, and I will not stand by and let you order myself or anyone else to do this. You're putting the patient at risk and I won't allow it.”

“You will because I have the power to make that twenty years end today.”

May steps back like she’s been slapped. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, Mrs. Parker.”

“You don’t have that kind of power,” May seethes. “And even if you did, my point still stands. If you make me do this, you will kill my patient and I won’t allow it when he has a chance of recovering from the surgery without adding a fucking _stroke_ on top of it.”

“ _Your_ patient? Why you—!”

“Dr. Fields!” someone down the hall yells, waving an arm frantically. “We need you!”

“We will finish this later,” Dr. Fields tells her, turning on his heel. May resists the urge to run after him with her stethoscope to wrap around his throat. Instead, she steps back to the nurse’s station and takes a seat at her computer. 

Whipping out her phone, she finds the family group chat and types out a stream of curses.

**Spider Child: oh god**

**Stark: Oh god, what?**

**Spider Child: i bet its dr. fields**

“May?” the nurse manager, Deborah, steps closer. “Are you alright?”

**Pep: Jesus Christ**

“Yes ma’am,” she grits out, hands typing faster. “Just need a moment if it's not about a patient?”

“Take your time, honey.”

May finishes relaying what happened and takes comfort in her family’s immediate defense of her situation. 

**Tony: Excuse the fuck out of him?**

**Spider Child: he doesn’t actually have that power, right???**

**Pep: I'm so sorry babe**

**Rhodey: Oh, here’s an idea! Murder him**

**Pep: Yes**

**Pep: Like...full eviscerate him**

May types out a, **God if only**. She waits for a moment and laughs when Pepper replies with a:

**Pep: What’s the hospital address again? I'll do it for you**

**Oh you'll come to the hospital? For murder?**

**Pep: You know I will, I'll have to make a donation so they’ll let me bring in Rescue, but I’ll do it. Give me a few hours.**

**Spider Child: my moms are so violent**

**Jimmy: Wow. Are we witnessing true love?**

**Spider Child: i'm crying now iM FINE**

**Pep: <3 I have no reservations for committing murder for May**

May is going to type something about how sweet she is, but pauses. She thinks _This could be a good moment. This could be the time to ask._

She takes a deep breath. 

**If it means seeing you, I will gladly ignore the murder part of the evening.**

**;)**

**Spider Child: oh my god did may just use an emoji on purpose**

**Tony: She did and I have forever proof**

A patience codes. May realizes it's hers and tucks her phone into her pocket, the conversation drifting from her mind. 

**)-(**

It’s an hour later, when May is finally about to take her lunch break (at four o’clock because that’s her life) when Dr. Fields stops mid apology to let his jaw drop. 

“Holy shit,” he murmurs. “Why is Pepper Potts walking towards us?”

May turns and sure enough, Pepper is there. She’s appeared in full CEO wear, heels clacking, hair absolutely immaculate, and Tom Ford skirt suit without a wrinkle. She smiles when she sees May, reaching out to lace their fingers together. 

“Hey, sweetheart,” she says softly. Her lips brush against May’s cheeks and May can’t help but lean into the contact, squeezing her girlfriend’s hand. 

“Hey baby,” May says with a sigh. “What brings you here?”

Dr. Fields is staring between them with wide eyes. 

“Evisceration, of course,” Pepper smiles. She turns a blindly gorgeous look on Dr. Fields. “I don’t know who it was, but someone threatened May and I just...can’t believe anyone could do that. She works so hard and stands up for her patients and I just can’t believe anyone would threaten her.”

May knows what Pepper is doing, and her heart warms. “You’re sweet, baby, but you don’t have to worry about it. I’m alright.”

“Are you sure?” Pepper blinks innocently. “You know I will gladly call Rescue.”

Dr. Fields chokes. “R-Rescue? As in the suit Tony Stark built for you?”

“The one and only,” Pepper tells him. She’s still smiling, but her eyes are icy when she looks at the doctor. “I’ve got some extra little tricks in my suit. Perfect for men who use their position over nurses to get their way. I’m particularly fond of the scissors Tony installed for the purpose of--”

“If you’ll excuse me,” he croaks. “I’m being paged.”

“Oh! Well you have a lovely day.”

He nods, and turns to leave. 

May giggles, tugging Pepper close by the waist and kissing her. Pepper responds with a light touch on the side of May’s neck while they kiss, the contact so comforting May feels the tension bleed from her shoulders and back. _This_ is one of the reasons she loves Pepper: Pepper feels safe, like home, and comfort, and everything that accompanies that. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” May murmurs, ignoring the other nurses and staff watching them. “But I won’t pretend watching you threaten people doesn’t please me. How did you know that it was Dr. Fields?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure you want to know,” Pepper confesses. When May doesn’t push, she smooths her hands down May’s shoulders. “Have you taken your lunch yet? I know you said this morning was crazy.”

“She’s taking a long lunch,” the nurse manager pops in. “She deserves it.”

“Well,” May chuckles. “Guess I am free. You don’t need to get back to the office?”

“No.” Pepper looks apologetic, but so goddamn affectionate that May feels her heart stutter in her chest. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately, sweetheart. You know I love coming down to threaten people, but really, I just...the way you said ‘if it means I get to see you’ made me realize we really don’t see each other that much anymore. I miss you. I want to make this more of a priority...if you’re still wanting to, that is.”

It’s odd to see Pepper Potts, confident and powerful CEO looking almost nervous, but May appreciates the vulnerability. As always with Pepper, it's as if she’s special and adored, and not something May feels she deserves. Regardless, she pulls Pepper into a hug and buries her face in her hair. She doesn’t say that she’s been wondering how to say the same thing, that Pepper is being better about communication and loving May so well. She just sinks into the embrace and hopes Pepper knows how grateful she is.

“Yeah, Potts,” she whispers. “I want that too.”

  
  
  



End file.
